Producers offer free Cursed Child tickets to Harry Potter fans

They're among the most sought-after and expensive tickets in Melbourne this summer – and for a lucky 700 people they will be free.

Harry Potter fans will have the chance to snap up free tickets to the final dress rehearsal for the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Sunday morning.

Gyton Grantley will play Ron Weasley, Paula Arundell will play Hermoine Grainger and Gareth Reeves will play Harry Potter in the Australian cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.Credit:Ben King

The much-hyped, two-part stage play officially opens at the Princess Theatre on February 23, with previews from January 18.

The final dress rehearsal will be held on January 16 and 17 and on Saturday the play's producers took to social media to announce they will be giving away 700 free tickets to the final dress rehearsal to fans who turn up to the Princess Theatre on Sunday morning.

Advertisement

"Just head to the theatre on Sunday 13th where wrist bands will be handed out from 9am," the play's producers posted on Instagram.

The giveaway was welcome news to thousands of Harry Potter fans, with the cheapest tickets costing between $65 and $175 per part, and the most expensive $270.

The Instagram post was accompanied by a video of some of the play's lead actors including Gyton Grantley (who will play Ron Weasley), Gareth Reeves (playing the adult Harry) and Paula Arundell (as Hermione Granger).

"We've been working really hard the last few months in our new Australian home, Melbourne's beautiful new Princess Theatre here on Spring Street and we're getting really close to sharing it with you," Reeves said.

"In fact it's our final dress rehearsal next week on Wednesday and Thursday and we thought we'd do something a little special."

"This is a very rare opportunity for you to experience the dress rehearsal which is usually reserved for the creatives as we put the final touches on the production, so anything could happen," Arundell added.

The play's producers say they expect the free tickets, which are limited to one per person, will be in high demand.

Melbourne is the first city to host Harry Potter and the Cursed Child after London, where it premiered, and New York.

Unlike the Harry Potter movies adapted from JK Rowling’s novels, Cursed Child is written by Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. It picks up where the epilogue of the final novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, left off; 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts.

An unlikely friendship forms between Harry's son Albus (Sean Rees-Wemyss) and Scorpius Malfoy (William McKenna), son of Harry's former nemesis.

Split across two instalments, fans are encouraged to see both in the same day or on consecutive evenings.